Button with snap backs

ABSTRACT

Snap buttons can snap into garments, or other such articles, that are made for them and stay on until a user desires to change them. There are no sharp parts and placement and removal of the buttons is safe, quick and easy, with no need to insert pin holes in garments. A kit can include a garment with female spring snaps disposed therein to allow a user to insert buttons thereon. The kit can include a set of buttons. Buttons can also be provided separately or traded among friends or family to provide a unique, individualized look for each person.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/704,438, filed Sep. 21, 2012, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to interchangeable snap button systems and, more particularly, to buttons with snap backs for belts, purses, and the like, that are made with female receptacles built in to accept the buttons.

Buttons are popular accessories for providing an individual style to various items, such as belts, hats, purses and various articles of clothing. Many conventional buttons use pins that put holes in garments. Some buttons use magnets, which have a tendency to come off easily and have to use trustable steel to attach. Buttons with sharp objects or small parts are often not suitable for children.

As can be seen, there is a need for buttons and a related system for allowing for interchangeable buttons on various items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a system for providing interchangeable buttons on articles comprises a button having a front face for an art object, and a flat back face having a male snap member extending therefrom; and a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method for personalizing articles with interchangeable buttons comprises choosing one of a plurality of buttons, the buttons having a front face for an art object, and a flat back face having a male snap member extending therefrom; and pressing the male snap member onto a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a kit comprises a plurality of buttons, each having a front face for an art object, and a flat back face having a male snap member extending therefrom; and at least one article having a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button, wherein the plurality of buttons are separated from the female spring snap to permit trading of the plurality of buttons among friends or family to provide a unique, individualized look for each person.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snap button system, installed on an article/garment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of the installed snap button system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the snap button system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the snap button system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides snap buttons that can snap into garments, or other such articles, that are made for them and stay on until a user desires to change them. There are no sharp parts and placement and removal of the buttons is safe, quick and easy, with no need to insert pin holes in garments.

The present invention can take various forms. In one embodiment, the present invention can include a kit including a garment with female spring snaps disposed therein to allow a user to insert buttons thereon. The kit can include a set of buttons. Buttons can also be provided separately or traded among friends or family to provide a unique, individualized look for each person.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5, a snap button assembly 22 can include a flat back portion with a male snap 16 (also referred to simply as flat back member 16 and male snap member 16), machined-in, that can be placed into a female spring snap 18 that can be machined into various garments, articles of clothing, accessories, and the like. In some embodiments, the female spring snap 18 can be integrated into the design specific garment, or the female spring snap 18 can be designed to be added to an existing garment.

A front body 14 can fasten and be secured to the flat back member 16 and an art print 24 and a protective cover 10 can be applied to the front of the front body 14. The art print 24 can be any number of colors, shapes, designs, logos, words, or the like. In some embodiments, the art print 24 can include shapes other than being flat. In these embodiments, the protective cover 10 may be changed to match the shape of the art print 24 or may not be used. The art print 24 can include elements, in addition to or in place of printed art, such as gems, engravings, characters, and other shapes and designs. The art print 24 can be formed form various materials, such as a colored ink print design, one or more gems attached to the body 14, a metallic piece with art work and/or engravings thereupon, and combinations of the same.

Female spring snaps 18 can be located at various places on the garments, articles of clothing, accessories, or the like. The female spring snaps 18 can accept the male snap fasteners 16 of the button assemblies 22 to secure the buttons to the garment 20, article of clothing, accessories, or the like. The user can easily apply or remove the buttons, as desired, without the need for pin holes, sharp objects, magnets or the like.

To make the system of the present invention, buttons are formed with male snap fasteners 16 extending from a flat back surface thereof. The buttons are formed with the fronts and backs of the button embedded as one unit so as not to permit separation thereof. In some embodiments, the buttons can be made as an integral member with a front face for art, and a back face with the male snap fastener extending therefrom. The female spring snaps 18 can be integrated into a garment 20, article of clothing, accessory of the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for providing interchangeable buttons on articles, comprising: a button having a front face for an art object, and a flat back face having a male snap member extending therefrom; and a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover fitting over the front face.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the art object is selected from the group consisting of a printed design, one or more gems, a character, a metallic object, and an engraving.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the front face and flat back face are integrated together as a one-piece component.
 5. A method for personalizing articles with interchangeable buttons, comprising: choosing one of a plurality of buttons, the buttons having a front face for an art object, and a flat back face having a male snap member extending therefrom; and pressing the male snap member onto a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the chosen one of the plurality of buttons, choosing a new one of the plurality of buttons and pressing the male snap member onto a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button, thereby changing a style of the article.
 7. A kit comprising: a plurality of buttons, each having a front face for an art object, and a flat back face having a male snap member extending therefrom; and at least one article having a female spring snap embedded into the article, the female spring snap accepting the male snap member from the back face of the button, wherein the plurality of buttons are separated from the female spring snap to permit trading of the plurality of buttons among friends or family to provide a unique, individualized look for each person.
 8. The kit of claim 7, further comprising a protective cover fitting over the front face of each of the plurality of buttons.
 9. The kit of claim 7, wherein the art object is selected from the group consisting of a printed design, one or more gems, a character, a metallic object, and an engraving.
 10. The kit of claim 7, wherein the front face and flat back face or each of the plurality of buttons are integrated together as a one-piece component. 